We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Aidan Marshall a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Aidan with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?
Growing up, I was a kid who would get lost in the things I was interested in. So, if it were music, I would spend hours listening to that album and finding out about the cover art, who produced it, etc. So, whatever I fell into and loved, it was just a constant itch to learn more about it. I still have that constant feeling of wanting to work on something, and when I have a new idea, all I want to do is see it come to life. It’s also hard not to want to be competitive and have a work ethic when you are a sports fan and in Boston, that’s the heart of it. Kevin Garnett was my favorite growing up because he didn’t care about what was in front of him. That energy and thought process kept me going through many late nights, and now, all I want to do is run around and create projects that mean something to people.
Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a designer and creative director. I’ve been involved in various projects, including graphic work, video direction, apparel design, etc. I have an attachment to the things I’m interested in, so bringing ideas from different areas, whether that’s design, music, sports, architecture, magazine prints, or whatever it is, just creating a union of these things to make something new. I’m always branching out and doing different creative projects, though apparel design is at the center of that right now. This summer, I finished wrapping up a lot of projects. I worked on rollout material for Cousin Stizz’s new album, ran the 2nd year 14 League, a Boston basketball tournament; had a few events for pieces I designed; did brand ambassador work for Jordan Brand, work for YGC Global, and designed jerseys for the Red Sox; it was a crazy couple months. I’m always taking on new projects and staying busy, but keep up to date with my socials and website if you want to see new work.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
I am still very early in my career, but what has done the most for me is being receptive. Receptive to everything and everyone, whether that’s a young person just starting or someone who’s been doing it for 20 years. Hearing what people have to say and filtering through it later has been the best thing for me. Young people aren’t going by the book and figuring things out as they go. They have such a genuine feel to the work; more experienced people have been through it and are resources. I keep a mix in my circle because I feel like I’m always staying level-headed with two different perspectives.
Patience has also been something that has given me opportunities and clarity. There were many times in the past few years when things weren’t clear, and I didn’t know where I wanted to go with my career. Being patient and taking my time to focus on the next step in front of me has kept my head straight and not get discouraged. You also can’t force things to happen. The people I wanted to work with most came about through real moves and relationships, not forcing someone to see something in you. Most of the time, other people or projects come around, and when the timing is right and you’re ready for it.
I’ve also found that learning skills connected to what I do has brought a lot of value. When I was working on projects for clothing design, I realized I needed photos of what I was making. This led me to teach myself how to shoot and edit photos/videos, which was great in the short term, but now it has allowed me to communicate better with photographers, editors, videographers, etc. It’s the same thing with pitch decks; learning how to pitch what I wanted to do is something that has been taking time, but it gets easier every day when I’m working on an event concept, release, or video treatment.
Okay, so before we go we always love to ask if you are looking for folks to partner or collaborate with?
Collaborating has pushed my work the most. I’m constantly surrounding myself with creative people and people with interests outside of what I’m used to. It brought new ideas to the table and allowed me not to be restrictive about where I can go. Also, having more experienced or knowledgeable people in their field helps me know how far I can go with a project. For example, building a media team is so much fun because one person is extremely good at framing, and another is better at coloring. I know how I want the texture and focus to be, so it just brings out the best in everyone and makes the work better than anyone could come up with. I’m very tight with the circle I have, but I’m also the first person to recognize what people are good at and where they fit into what I’m trying to create. I want people who focus on the relationship first and are excited to work and sacrifice to improve the art of it. I’ve been super fortunate to find many of these people, and they’ve become like family to me. I think organically working with someone genuine and open creates these environments where good ideas consistently come through and are easy to get out of. If you look at my projects, you will see my friends modeling the clothing, shooting the photos, or driving with me to pick up boxes to host an event. All of that makes collaborating and having good relationships with your circle necessary. I’ll call at 2 am to work on an edit of a promo video, and they’ll show up the same way as I’d do for them. It’s a mutual thing and has created many opportunities for everyone.
Contact Info:
- Website: aidancmarshall.com /14league.com
- Instagram: @aidancmarshall
Image Credits
@emartinezflics @eyeofbrii @tmmip @a.aronjames @grantbradylopez
